CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BARS

The original Twix bar has three layers: a cookie base, caramel, and then covered in chocolate. They taste very delicious but unfortunately are loaded with refined sugar, grains, and plenty of food additives. But you know me - I’m always tempted to recreate my former favorite treats in a healthier version. These Twix copycats are made from scratch using only whole ingredients. I used honey as a sweetener and they taste so much better than any Twix bar I’ve ever eaten.

For the cookie base, I figured out that mixing coconut oil and coconut butter together with almond and coconut flour made a very firm cracker-like base that I couldn’t achieve using butter. My first attempt with the caramel layer failed because I didn’t boil the caramel for long enough. After layering the cookie base and caramel, I tried to cut it, but the caramel immediately started leaving my cookie base and even after trying to freeze it, it still wasn’t firm enough to dip in chocolate. Fortunately, my husband and two younger girls gladly took care of the failure. For my second attempt, I made sure to boil the caramel for 15 minutes after adding the heavy whipping cream. I then removed a spoonful to see if it would get firm as it cools. It did! So I let the caramel cool down until lukewarm and then spread it evenly over the cookie base. I placed it in the fridge for two hours before cutting it into bar-shaped pieces with a large sharp knife. After cutting, I froze the bars for an additional hour while I prepared the chocolate coating in a double boiler. Using two forks, I dipped the bars into the melted chocolate, carefully turned them around until they were completely covered with chocolate, then placed them caramel side up on a drying rack to harden the chocolate. They turned out beautiful, the cracker firm, the caramel soft and all of it wrapped in dark chocolate and soooo tempting!

The problem was that after trying a small piece, I kept thinking about grabbing another piece for two days. As an former sugar addict that is a warning sign! I know I have to be very careful when it comes to treats that are high in sugar content like this one. It is great for challenging your willpower but I always keep temptations to a minimum because it can easily can throw me into overindulging. Sure, they are sweetened with honey, which doesn't feed the gut inflammation like regular sugar does, but it still is sugar and should not be consumed in large quantities.

I moved this new recipe to my occasional treat recipes that are reserved for special occasions and homemade gifts. And that is what a treat should be - occasional and special!

INGREDIENTS
for the cookie base:
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/8 cup coconut butter or coconut oil
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

for the caramel layer:
1 batch caramel made with 3/4 cup honey and 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (instead of 1 cup). Boil the caramel for about 15 minutes to make sure it ends up firm enough to be cut after refrigerating.
If you are very sensitive to lactose, I recommend fermenting the heavy whipping cream to make it easier to digest.

chocolate coating:
1recipe for Honey-Sweetened Chocolate Coating

INSTRUCTIONS
for the cookie base:
Melt the coconut oil and coconut butter in a small saucepan. Add the almond flour, coconut flour, vanilla extract, and honey to a mixing bowl. Stir in the coconut oil and knead until well combined.

Line a 9” square baking dish with parchment paper. Distribute the dough evenly across the bottom of the pan and press firm.

Bake at 350°F / 180°C for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Add the cooled caramel over the cookie layer and let set in the refrigerator for about two hours until firm enough to cut with a knife.

Cut the cookie base in half and then cut into 1/2” wide bars. Freeze the bars for at least two hours while you prepare the homemade honey sweetened chocolate coating in a double boiler.

Dip the bars into the honey-sweetened chocolate coating using two forks to submerge them completely. Place them on a wire rack for the chocolate to set.

Store in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.

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